Real Brownfields Deserve Dollars I
read with interest the story on Brownfield development dollars in the
July 20 issue. I applaud Dan Lathrop and other county commissioners who
voted “No” on the Randolph Street project...

Hopping Mad Carlin
Smith is hopping mad (“Will You Get Mad With Me?” 7-20-15). Somebody
filed a fraudulent return using his identity, and he’s not alone. The AP
estimates the government “pays more than $5 billion annually in
fraudulent tax refunds.” Well, many of us have been
hopping mad for years. This is because the number one tool Congress has
used to fix this problem has been to cut the IRS budget –by $1.2 billion
in the last 5 years...

Just Grumbling, No Solutions Mark
Pontoni’s grumblings [recent Northern Express column] tell us much
about him and virtually nothing about those he chooses to denigrate. We
do learn that Pontoni may be the perfect political candidate. He’s
arrogant, opinionated and obviously dimwitted...

A Racist Symbol I
have to respond to Gordon Lee Dean’s letter claiming that the
confederate battle flag is just a symbol of southern heritage and should
not be banned from state displays. The heritage it represents was the
treasonous effort to continue slavery by seceding from a democratic
nation unwilling to maintain such a consummate evil...

Not So Thanks I
would like to thank the individual who ran into and knocked over my
Triumph motorcycle while it was parked at Lowe’s in TC on Friday the
24th. The $3,000 worth of damage was greatly appreciated. The big dent
in the gas tank under the completely destroyed chrome badge was an
especially nice touch...

Expanded Election Issue Letters Section

Only
one letter per reader in a two month period will be accepted. may be
edited for length or to correct factual errors. Letters must be signed
to be considered for print and a phone number is required for
verification. Faxed letters are not accepted.

Vote yes for clean energy

Sometimes we have to be forced to do the right thing. As a lifelong resident of Northern Michigan, I remember feeling more than a little rankled when the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore was established. I could no longer do as I pleased on that ageless shoreline; guidelines were set and even a modest fee was required. Well... Thank goodness there were forward thinking people working to create what would come to represent the best part of Northern Michigan. Think of where we’d be today without their wisdom.

Yes, sometimes we have to be forced to do the right thing. And again, forward thinking people are working to establish a means to attain cleaner air, a more diverse Michigan economy and less dependence on fossil fuels. Big energy, like that distant version of me shouldn’t be allowed to do as they please. The constitutional change offered by Proposition 3 is the right thing to do.

I’m voting yes and I hope you do too.

Thomas Hart • via email

'Simple Life' not so simple

I have been living, pursuing and advocating the “simple life” for over 40 years (re: "The Really Simple Life," 10/8). Alternative life styles that move away from the drive for upward social mobilization and toward a high quality of daily life at a lower cost to the planet and its resources are not simple to pull off. I applaud and embrace the intentions of the two young people featured in your article, but they have a country retreat, which seems cool but not for the long haul.

If they stay on the land, at that level she may be dipping diapers in a pail during the winter. He’ll hurt his back chopping wood or managing that 20 acres and wish he had a garage or carport to fix the truck up on jacks out of the weather.

The mountains of north Idaho are full of abandoned little shacks that seemed like a good idea and were fun for a while.

If you don’t have old roots, family, a substantial stake, craft or solid job, be prepared to work hard, be smart and flexible and patiently wait for simplicity to unfold.

A university study about the early 1970s “Back To The Land” movement indicated that well over a million urban, mostly well-educated, men and women moved to rural America to do just what these two fine young people are doing. Less than 20% of us stuck it out.

Many of us live in 1,000 to 1,500 square foot houses, have two vehicles and wish it was only one, raise some of our food, wear a lot of second hand clothes, and probably used one third to one half of the resource we would have used in our urban career and lifestyles. Not the ideals we set out for. but not too shabby either. Plus, most of us have had a wonderful life in the pursuit of simplicity.

Jerry Luther • via email

letters

Email letters to: info@northernexpress.com

Lessons of the past

Is
America better off today than four years ago? The public was just
learning about a major banking crisis in September of ‘08. We were told
by President Bush, and Secretary Hank Paulson, that we would have to
bail out the banks, otherwise the greatest doom would soon follow. They
wanted hundreds of billions of dollars and no questions asked. By
October ‘08 we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. Not to mention the
50,000 factories we lost under Bush. The stock market had tanked,
causing millions of Americans to lose huge chunks of retirement funds.

Bush
oversaw eight years of economic self-destruction: Bush tax cuts, which
are still one of the primary causes of our budget deficits, the $3
trillion (off the books) unnecessary war in Iraq, etc.

Despite
tough cowboy talk of getting Bin Laden “dead or alive” within months of
9/11, Bush said “I don’t really think about him much anymore” and
closed the Bin Laden task force. The housing bubble had exploded, people
were losing their homes by the millions. Times were bad, very bad. We
were descending into the pit of another major depression.

Obama
calmly took the helm and steered us away from that dangerous collapse.
Under Obama the Dow more than doubled to 13,000 points. There have been
30 consecutive months of job growth. In 2011 alone there were almost 2
million new private sector jobs. We got Bin Laden!

If
Republicans had worked with Obama just imagine for one moment, how much
further we could have come. If not for GOP obstructionism, including a
record number of filibusters, the Grover Norquist "no taxes" pledge,
etc., how many more Americans would be back to work?

Are we better off today than four years ago? Absolutely! Vote for Democrats in November!

Karen Martin • Cheboygan

Climate action & Prop 3

The
Michigan Constitution, unlike our national Constitution, was designed
to be a living document, changed by a majority vote of the people,
especially when the legislature is unable to do the appropriate work for
the people. Proposal 3 gives voters the opportunity to address the real
urgency of climate change. Voting “no” because it is a constitutional
amendment simply gives more power to big oil and coal, DTE, Consumers,
and their lobbyists. This is a critical vote for public well-being. Vote
YES.

Mary Van Valin • via email

Facts, not propaganda

One wonders just where are the facts and what was foolish hype in the debates.

President
Lincoln had it right. “You can fool some of the people all of the time
and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the
people all of the time.” He also said, “I am a firm believer in the
people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any
national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.”

Lets look ahead with keen discernment.

Don’t let your vote be bought nor swayed with false propaganda.

Thomas E. Hagan • Empire

The propositions

Stephen Tuttle showed his true colors, for the most part, in the October 8 column. Liberal.

He wants local pols to be able to bankrupt their jurisdictions and then run to the State for rescue (Prop 1). Vote no on this.

He
wants public employee unions to be constitutionally protected for all
time while they politically blackmail their employers into granting
ruinous pay and benefit packages (Prop 2). Vote no on this.

He
wants Michigan to have no choice but to spend handsomely on unproven,
quite possibly useless forms of energy generation, like the windmill on
M-72 which sits idle half the time while a fossil fuel plant makes up
the difference full time (Prop 3). Vote no on this.

He wants another bureaucracy, and a unionized one at that, in State government. Just what we need (Prop 4). Vote no on this.

He
might have a case with Prop 5, but at least more than 50% plus one
should be required to raise taxes, maybe 60% for example (Prop 5). I’m
mulling this one over yet.

I
am in full agreement with him on Prop 6 - vote against this turkey. The
owner of the Ambassador Bridge just wants to keep his monopoly; he
couldn’t care less about the public interest.

Charles Knapp • Maple City

McDowell & business

After
attending the TC League of Women Voters forum between Dr. Dan Benishek
and Gary McDowell, I decided that Dr. Dan Benishek had earned my vote.

During
the debate, I felt that Gary McDowell consistently misrepresented his
record as a state legislator. He repeatedly stated that he was in favor
of lowering taxes for small businesses and that he had voted to repeal
the Michigan Small Business Tax. However, he neglected to mention the
fact that he voted to replace that tax with another tax, the Michigan
Business Tax.

The
Michigan Business Tax, one of the largest tax increases in Michigan
history, played a large role in driving the state unemployment rate
above 14% and encouraged many businesses to flee Michigan for more
welcoming states. Unlike Gary McDowell, Dr. Benishek is serious about
limited government and his record reflects this. I encourage all on Nov.
6 to vote for Dr. Benishek, because we need someone in Congress to
fight for us.

Linda Witt • TC

Republican tax hike

If
you tend to vote Republican, this letter is guaranteed to cure that
problem. You already know that Congressman Benishek is on record
favoring “privatizing” and even “phasing out” Social Security and
Medicare.

At
the state level, Republicans cut over a billion dollars from schools
for 2011, to give corporations a big tax break. (The average school
district had its per pupil funding reduced by $470 last year.)

Now
for the big April, 2013 surprise. You are going to paying much more in
Michigan income taxes next year. Michigan Public Act 38 starts for tax
year 2012. In July, 2011, the bipartisan House Fiscal Agency estimated
the impact of this Republican change on 2012-13 revenues. Indeed, for
tax years 2012-13, our personal income tax payments will go up almost $2
billion. Why? Well Repubs cut business taxes big time in PA 39-40.
Michigan business tax revenues from Walmart and other companies are
going down even more, over $2 billion over the same two years!

It’s
the same sort of redistribution to corporations and the 1% started by
Reagan and Bush II and now promised under the Romney/Ryan budget plan.

Here
are two examples: A married couple with two kids and a household income
of $55,000 will pay an additional $739 next April. How about a retired
couple born after 1952, with a pension of $48,000 and a total household
income of $53,000. They will pay an extra $3,130 under the Republican
state income tax increase. Now that you know the facts, you can return
to the Democratic Party and elect someone who represents real people on
November 6.

Leonard Page • Cheboygan

Greening of Detroit

I
really enjoyed your article about the gardening that is happening in
Detroit. Last May, I had the opportunity to visit the Lafayette Greens
in downtown Detroit. It was incredible and the story behind these
community gardens is as well. The owner of Compuware, Inc. purchased the
space to create gardens where his employees along with community
members can grow flowers and vegetables for the people in the inner
city. I sat with art therapy friends enjoying lunch in these gardens, a
place that may not have been too safe to sit before this great work.

And
here in Traverse City of course we have our children’s gardens behind
the library. These gardens teach children gardening skills and good
eating habits. They are worth our support as a community. Let’s all
continue to grow!

Barbara McIntyre, Ph.D. • TC

Vote for Kirsten Keilitz

While
Kirsten Keilitz was in private practice, I was her opponent on several
occasions. She was always a strong advocate for her client, yet fair and
honest toward mine. Because I respected Kirsten, I referred cases to
her when I had a conflict.

Now
that Kirsten is a referee, I have appeared before her on numerous
occasions on a variety of Family Division matters. She continues to
maintain a high level of respect and dignity in the courtroom despite
being tasked to make difficult decisions. Kirsten has earned my vote and
I strongly encourage you to give her yours!

Gerald F. Chefalo • TC

Coffia's clean campaign

I
believe that Grand Traverse Voters recognize quality of character and
are ready to make the change to Betsy Coffia. Find out for yourself --
do your homework and learn how Betsy Coffia will be YOUR voice in
Lansing.

Betsy has refused to
accept PAC money, out-of-state donations and donations over $250 per
individual. This has given her supporters extra incentive to go door to
door, encouraging dialogue and developing relationships where PEOPLE are
important and part of the process. This is a refreshing departure --
people before money.

Margaret Pierson • via email

Melanie Stanton the best

I
am writing to voice my support for Melanie Stanton in the upcoming race
for Probate Judge of Grand Traverse County. In recent letters to the
editor, it has been implied that her opponent’s three years of
experience as a referee in the court trumps Melanie’s 16 years of work
experience in the Probate Court and 20 years of work experience in the
Family Court. Not so. The families, individuals, children, seniors, and
vulnerable adults of Grand Traverse County will be better served with a
vote for Melanie Stanton on November 6!

Tricia Klaasen Smith • TC

Bad prescription

It
seems that “Dr. Dan” has caught the Republican disease of not telling
the truth in TV ads, and wearing his white coat and stethoscope doesn’t
cure him of this malady.

Benishek
claims that Gary McDowell supports cutting Medicare by $716 billion,
whereas the Congressman himself voted for the Ryan budget, which takes
from Medicare to pay for tax cuts for millionaires.

Unlike
Benishek, McDowell will vote against privatization of Medicare and
Social Security and vote for jobs, education, protecting our Great
Lakes.

In this election, the doctor may be IN, but we need to vote him OUT.

Mary Easthope • Lake Leelanau

Prop 2 protects our jobs

Voters
are not ignorant. The ad sponsored by Protecting Michigan Taxpayers is
lying and using fear to oppose Proposal 2, Protect our Jobs. This is a
proposed amendment to Michigan’s constitution that would guarantee union
rights to both public and private sectors.

As
a former contract negotiator I know the second paragraph of a contract
states THE LAW SUPERSEDES THIS CONTACT. School employees focus on the
best interest of their students and their safety. This ad is an insult
to all the hardworking employees of Michigan’s unionized school
districts. This is blatant union busting affecting all Michigan
citizens. Vote yes.